Since U.S. President Bush launched his bid for re-election on May 16, his campaign has raised at least US$41.4 million, including US$7 million on a two-day Texas swing that wound up with a Saturday evening reception.

That's more than US$635,000 a day and counting since the effort started.

He wrapped up the latest chapter in Houston where more than 700 people paid US$2,000 apiece to hear him speak. The crowd, many of whom helped round up additional contributions for the Bush campaign, included Texas Gov. Rick Perry and House Majority Leader Tom Delay.

Bush talked about themes he discusses at all his fund-raisers. He recalls the routing of the Taliban in Afghanistan, talks tough against terrorists and praises the U.S. military and its mission in Iraq.

Corporate scandals, the Sept. 11 attacks and weak economic growth have challenged his administration, Bush said. But he cited the deep tax cuts and economic stimulus legislation he signed into law as the key to future good times for the nation.

"With all these actions we are laying the foundation for greater prosperity and more jobs across America so that every single person in this country can realize the American dream," Bush said Saturday.

Donors applauded when Bush talked about fighting terrorists who threaten peace around the world.

"The enemies of freedom are not idle and neither are we," Bush said. "This country will not rest, we will not tire and we will not stop until this danger to civilization is removed."

Bush made a joking reference to his recent experience in Africa, where he and the first lady saw two elephants trying to mate.

"I learned a lot about our party's mascot," he said to laughter.

The Texas fund-raising stops, in Dallas and Houston, resulted in the president's biggest haul on any trip to a state this year.

"In those first six weeks, we've raised 50 percent of what we raised in 18 months in the year 2000," Fred Meyer, chairman of the campaign's Texas finance effort, told donors before Bush's address. But he urged them to keep working for the president's re-election.

Donor Phil Moss, a Houston businessman, said recent controversy about Bush's statements on Iraq's efforts to acquire nuclear materials from Africa has not upset people in Texas.

"It's just political fodder," Moss said. "To our estimation, the No. 1 mission of the nine dwarfs (the nine Democratic presidential candidates) is to bring down the president and try to hang him on something."

The Bush administration has been getting intense criticism in the last week for using questionable evidence about Iraq's attempts to buy uranium in Africa. And U.S. troops have been dying at the rate of about one a day in Iraq.

The president spent a quiet morning at the ranch in Crawford, getting his regular CIA briefing, taking a walk with first lady Laura Bush and clearing some brush, then relaxed prior to his trip to Houston, aides said.

When the president arrived in Houston Saturday afternoon, his motorcade moved past the boot shops, barbecue restaurants and other Western-theme businesses outside the airport and was greeted by scattered protesters along the road and approximately 100 at the hotel.

One protester dressed like Uncle Sam held a sign that said "He lied, GIs died." Another protester waving an American flag had a sign that said: "Bush lied, men died." One sign referred to the contested results of the 2000 election, saying "Thief stole the presidency" and another said "Hell to the chief."

The president's campaign aides have talked of raising $170 million to $200 million this year in preparation for the 2004 campaign.

Bush's continued dominance in fund raising comes at a time his public support has been slipping. Polls out this week showed his job approval rating slipping to the mid-50s, while anxiety about the economy and the situation in Iraq appears to be on the rise.

On Sunday and Monday, Bush will reward Italian leader and war ally Silvio Berlusconi with a visit to the president's ranch in Crawford.

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